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Starlight
Adrienne Speck is the biggest loser in her high school, so she can hardly believe it when a magical boy falls from the heavens to grant her three wishes. He is cool, confident, and definitely popular crowd material—everything Adrienne's not. With his help, she has a chance to get everything she's ever wanted: get kissed, get popular, and get a date for the upcoming dance.
But Adrienne discovers magic isn't all it's cracked up to be, and the road to popularity is paved with humiliation. To make her dreams come true, not only will she have to get the lead in the school play, ask out the most popular guy in school, and stand up to the current queen of popularity, but also keep her personal genie from trashing her room, dressing like a nerd, and revealing to her mom that he's living in their attic. For someone who's supposed to be helping her, he couldn't be making her life any worse. That is, until she starts to fall for him.
But Adrienne discovers magic isn't all it's cracked up to be, and the road to popularity is paved with humiliation. To make her dreams come true, not only will she have to get the lead in the school play, ask out the most popular guy in school, and stand up to the current queen of popularity, but also keep her personal genie from trashing her room, dressing like a nerd, and revealing to her mom that he's living in their attic. For someone who's supposed to be helping her, he couldn't be making her life any worse. That is, until she starts to fall for him.
ebook
First published September 2, 2014
About the author
Chelsea M. Campbell
24 books305 followersChelsea M. Campbell grew up in the Pacific Northwest, where it rains a lot. And then rains some more. She finished her first novel when she was twelve, sent it out, and promptly got rejected. Since then she's written many more novels, earned a degree in Latin and Ancient Greek, become an obsessive knitter and fiber artist, and started a collection of glass grapes. Besides writing, studying ancient languages, and collecting useless objects, Chelsea is a pop-culture fangirl at heart and can often be found rewatching episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Parks and Recreation, or dying a lot in Dark Souls.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
August 24, 2014
Disclaimer: I totally did the cover. :)
November 3, 2014
Starlight is a light and easy read that I easily devoured in a couple hours. It was fun but still a bit thought provoking. There are some bully issues in the book, which I enjoy reading about because I find myself emotionally involved in those kinds of stories.
Adrienne is teased and made fun of in school. Her mom is disappointed and wants more from her. She has no friends and doesn’t fit in anywhere. She’s sad and depressed. One night she wishes on a star and that changes her whole life. The star (a boy) falls from the sky and says he’ll grant her three wishes. He can’t leave until all three wishes are fulfilled and this is not a case of just waving a wand and things are magically better. We see as he tries to help her, as she struggles but slowly pushes forward. She thinks she wants certain things, but does she really?
It’s a fun journey with a few emotional moments. It’s frustrating when she makes mistakes that we see a mile off but it’s liberating when she pushes forward again and doesn’t let the bad things hold her back.
There’s not much romance, but there’s hints of it and it becomes a something eventually.
I enjoy watching characters find their inner strength. To stand up for themselves, to find good friends, to find their own inner beauty. I think this is a great book for teen girls and might help open their eyes a bit.
Highly recommend!
You can find this review, and others like it, on my blog at http://www.candacesbookblog.com
Adrienne is teased and made fun of in school. Her mom is disappointed and wants more from her. She has no friends and doesn’t fit in anywhere. She’s sad and depressed. One night she wishes on a star and that changes her whole life. The star (a boy) falls from the sky and says he’ll grant her three wishes. He can’t leave until all three wishes are fulfilled and this is not a case of just waving a wand and things are magically better. We see as he tries to help her, as she struggles but slowly pushes forward. She thinks she wants certain things, but does she really?
It’s a fun journey with a few emotional moments. It’s frustrating when she makes mistakes that we see a mile off but it’s liberating when she pushes forward again and doesn’t let the bad things hold her back.
There’s not much romance, but there’s hints of it and it becomes a something eventually.
I enjoy watching characters find their inner strength. To stand up for themselves, to find good friends, to find their own inner beauty. I think this is a great book for teen girls and might help open their eyes a bit.
Highly recommend!
You can find this review, and others like it, on my blog at http://www.candacesbookblog.com
November 5, 2014
I received a review copy of this book for my stop on the blog tour at Donnie Darko Girl.
I'm a sucker for beautiful covers. And starlight. Put the two together, and you've got me hook, line, and sinker! Starlight is a fun read that draws you in right away; I love it when I begin a book that's so easy to get into quickly. There were times I laughed and other times I felt like punching those popular bullying girls even though I'm not a violent person. (I swear I'm not!)
Chelsea M. Campbell brings plenty of humor into Starlight - for instance, I couldn't help but laugh when Adrienne's genie, Saiph, insisted on staying at her house which leads to her hiding him in the attic away from her mom. When he sees that her bedroom is decorated in unicorns (she hasn't redecorated since she was six years old), he teases her about needing help with style. I personally would love for my bedroom to be decorated in unicorns, but I don't think my husband would like that too much! Those scenes had me giggling.
I liked the light and non-preachy way the subject of bullying was dealt with which in my opinion made a greater impact than if it had been presented in a hard hitting way. Bullying is so rampant nowadays, and Starlight shows both sides. You see the ugly way the popular girls behave towards Adrienne, and the way she shrinks into herself when those girls go out of their way to insult her.
The shenanigans (there's really no better word!) that go on with Saiph around made me laugh, especially when Adrienne had to scramble to cover his presence around her mom, in front of her coworkers, and at school. There are also cute moments, too, where she realized he treated her with dignity and respect, something no one has done before. While reading about Adrienne and thinking of all the different ways she could respond to those stuck up girls, I was taken back to my own high school days where I wish I had defended myself instead of letting a small group of other girls push me around.
When she starts to fall for him, I was dying to know what was going to happen. Would he fulfill her wishes and then leave? Would he find a way to stay with her? The possibilities were endless! Starlight was exactly the kind of book I needed after reading so many dark and heavy stories lately, and I recommend this to anyone looking to lose her/himself in an uplifting and fun story.
I'm a sucker for beautiful covers. And starlight. Put the two together, and you've got me hook, line, and sinker! Starlight is a fun read that draws you in right away; I love it when I begin a book that's so easy to get into quickly. There were times I laughed and other times I felt like punching those popular bullying girls even though I'm not a violent person. (I swear I'm not!)
Chelsea M. Campbell brings plenty of humor into Starlight - for instance, I couldn't help but laugh when Adrienne's genie, Saiph, insisted on staying at her house which leads to her hiding him in the attic away from her mom. When he sees that her bedroom is decorated in unicorns (she hasn't redecorated since she was six years old), he teases her about needing help with style. I personally would love for my bedroom to be decorated in unicorns, but I don't think my husband would like that too much! Those scenes had me giggling.
I liked the light and non-preachy way the subject of bullying was dealt with which in my opinion made a greater impact than if it had been presented in a hard hitting way. Bullying is so rampant nowadays, and Starlight shows both sides. You see the ugly way the popular girls behave towards Adrienne, and the way she shrinks into herself when those girls go out of their way to insult her.
The shenanigans (there's really no better word!) that go on with Saiph around made me laugh, especially when Adrienne had to scramble to cover his presence around her mom, in front of her coworkers, and at school. There are also cute moments, too, where she realized he treated her with dignity and respect, something no one has done before. While reading about Adrienne and thinking of all the different ways she could respond to those stuck up girls, I was taken back to my own high school days where I wish I had defended myself instead of letting a small group of other girls push me around.
When she starts to fall for him, I was dying to know what was going to happen. Would he fulfill her wishes and then leave? Would he find a way to stay with her? The possibilities were endless! Starlight was exactly the kind of book I needed after reading so many dark and heavy stories lately, and I recommend this to anyone looking to lose her/himself in an uplifting and fun story.
February 19, 2016
Real rating: 4.5/5 stars
Thank you to CBB Promotions for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Starlight is about Adrienne, a high school girl who is always bullied and feels as though she is the sole inhabitant in Loserville. One day, she wishes that she could shine, just like the stars in the sky. Little does she know that her wish is about to be granted, by Saiph, an actual star! She is then presented with the opportunity for three wishes to be granted. Without a moment’s hesitation, she wishes to be popular, have a date to the winter dance, and to have her first kiss which seem to be the three most cliche wishes for high school girls.
While this book may sound like the most unoriginal book ever written, it actually was the opposite! There were many times that I incorrectly guessed how the plot would proceed. When Saiph was introduced, he had the aura of a star, and so I figured that this would be another “popular guy makes the bullied girl popular,” but that was wrong! I won’t tell you what actually happened, but I will tell you that it was extremely unexpected. Another reason that I enjoyed this book was the fact that the wishes weren’t granted immediately. I have read books where it seems to be ‘1, 2, 3, your wish is granted’ and I always feel like something is missing. In this book, Saiph tried to influence events so that her wishes can could be granted.
Thank you to CBB Promotions for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Starlight is about Adrienne, a high school girl who is always bullied and feels as though she is the sole inhabitant in Loserville. One day, she wishes that she could shine, just like the stars in the sky. Little does she know that her wish is about to be granted, by Saiph, an actual star! She is then presented with the opportunity for three wishes to be granted. Without a moment’s hesitation, she wishes to be popular, have a date to the winter dance, and to have her first kiss which seem to be the three most cliche wishes for high school girls.
While this book may sound like the most unoriginal book ever written, it actually was the opposite! There were many times that I incorrectly guessed how the plot would proceed. When Saiph was introduced, he had the aura of a star, and so I figured that this would be another “popular guy makes the bullied girl popular,” but that was wrong! I won’t tell you what actually happened, but I will tell you that it was extremely unexpected. Another reason that I enjoyed this book was the fact that the wishes weren’t granted immediately. I have read books where it seems to be ‘1, 2, 3, your wish is granted’ and I always feel like something is missing. In this book, Saiph tried to influence events so that her wishes can could be granted.
November 7, 2014
I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Starlight is a cute story with a touch of the paranormal and a touch of romance. The plot is sweet and rather adorable which I think would appeal to a younger YA audience. I liked the message main character Adrienne learned.
Adrienne is a miserable high school girl. Though she tries to fly under the radar, things keep happening to draw her into a spotlight that includes bullying and teasing. What girl hasn't looked into the sky and wished upon a star? When Saiph appears, she is reluctant to believe him, but he changes her mind with magic. Through her friendship with Saiph, Adrienne grows as a person and somewhat comes into herself.
Saiph is a fun character. He's spunky, funny, and overall adorable. Adrienne is granted three wishes from her fallen star, which she proceeds to use for popularity, a first kiss, and a date to the winter dance. Life begins to change for her due to Saiph's involvement. He followers her to school where laughter and mayhem ensue.
Adrienne's issues are deep-rooted and not something that would disappear overnight. The plot is fast-paced and rather fantastical. Things work out a bit too well in the end, but if they didn't then this would be an entirely different kind of story. I recommend Starlight to fans of fairy tales with happily ever after endings. This book is also appropriate for middle school readers.
Starlight is a cute story with a touch of the paranormal and a touch of romance. The plot is sweet and rather adorable which I think would appeal to a younger YA audience. I liked the message main character Adrienne learned.
Adrienne is a miserable high school girl. Though she tries to fly under the radar, things keep happening to draw her into a spotlight that includes bullying and teasing. What girl hasn't looked into the sky and wished upon a star? When Saiph appears, she is reluctant to believe him, but he changes her mind with magic. Through her friendship with Saiph, Adrienne grows as a person and somewhat comes into herself.
Saiph is a fun character. He's spunky, funny, and overall adorable. Adrienne is granted three wishes from her fallen star, which she proceeds to use for popularity, a first kiss, and a date to the winter dance. Life begins to change for her due to Saiph's involvement. He followers her to school where laughter and mayhem ensue.
Adrienne's issues are deep-rooted and not something that would disappear overnight. The plot is fast-paced and rather fantastical. Things work out a bit too well in the end, but if they didn't then this would be an entirely different kind of story. I recommend Starlight to fans of fairy tales with happily ever after endings. This book is also appropriate for middle school readers.
November 6, 2014
This was a very sweet and endearing read. I finished it in a couple of hours. It was very predictable but I really enjoyed it.
I really like Adrienne. She's very relatable in the sense that you always want to fit in but can feel all alone in the world. She's bullied at school but I like that she still has a sense of humor. Her musings are pretty funny.
I adored Saiph. At first he came of kind of cocky and a bit of a jerk but he's also extremely sweet. I like how he doesn't let Adrienne introvert herself. Also he's not afraid to make himself look like an idiot. He really doesn't care what other people think of him. I find him quite endearing and a lot of fun. I love his nickname for Adrienne. Its very unique but fitting for him being what he is.
There's hints of a love story in this but that's not the main focus. Its more about standing up for yourself and not being bullied. Also just be yourself. Your beautiful for who you are.
I really like Adrienne. She's very relatable in the sense that you always want to fit in but can feel all alone in the world. She's bullied at school but I like that she still has a sense of humor. Her musings are pretty funny.
I adored Saiph. At first he came of kind of cocky and a bit of a jerk but he's also extremely sweet. I like how he doesn't let Adrienne introvert herself. Also he's not afraid to make himself look like an idiot. He really doesn't care what other people think of him. I find him quite endearing and a lot of fun. I love his nickname for Adrienne. Its very unique but fitting for him being what he is.
There's hints of a love story in this but that's not the main focus. Its more about standing up for yourself and not being bullied. Also just be yourself. Your beautiful for who you are.
October 30, 2014
This book totally charmed its way into my heart. I devoured it in a single sitting, it was so adorable! I love a sweet teen tale and this certainly didn't disappoint with the arrival of a very odd but totally loveable stranger to grant the main character, Adrienne, three wishes. Starlight is a little quirky, light-hearted and fun with some heart-wrenching moments in between. Everything you could want from a teen romance with an awesome fantasy twist. At times it reminded me of the movie Stardust (but just a little). This would also make an equally awesome teen movie.
Chelsea is a fabulous writer and I'll be checking out her other books in the near future.
Chelsea is a fabulous writer and I'll be checking out her other books in the near future.
November 16, 2014
THE REVIEW
Why this book?
I love Chelsea M. Campbell's work
What I thought
I enjoyed this alot, though it almost lost a star because the main character constantly belittled herself. With said I loved the dynamic between Adrienne and Saiph. And I really liked all the shenanigans Saiph caused. The mean kids in this book though were really mean I just wanted to punch them in the face. I really enjoy this authors writing though and look forward to more from her.
Overall it was a great read that I recommend
Why this book?
I love Chelsea M. Campbell's work
What I thought
I enjoyed this alot, though it almost lost a star because the main character constantly belittled herself. With said I loved the dynamic between Adrienne and Saiph. And I really liked all the shenanigans Saiph caused. The mean kids in this book though were really mean I just wanted to punch them in the face. I really enjoy this authors writing though and look forward to more from her.
Overall it was a great read that I recommend
November 4, 2014
Perfect light teen read.
Full review (as part of tour) to follow.
Full review (as part of tour) to follow.
September 29, 2014
Cute little book for young girls. I enjoyed it too.
December 14, 2014
I just finished Starlight by Chelsea M. Campbell, and I have to say the story and the book were just adorable. This was a super-fast read for me, at an estimated 140 pages in length, but I enjoyed it so much that I let my 11 year old daughter read it after I vetted the tale for traumatizing, steamy parts. While I have zero experience with the author’s work, another author that I follow recommended her on Facebook so I purchased the book on Amazon for a few dollars. In a world where there are so many free e-books swarming around, this was a sound purchase and I was very pleased with the quality and detail.
Adrienne Speck’s traumatic high school experience could be anyone’s, and the cruelty inflicted on her by other teens at the school is palpable. Who hasn’t had days where they closed their eyes and wished for rescue…or even oblivion, in some cases? In this regard the plight is easy to sympathize with, and wishing upon a star with results is a dream come true, right? She has normal wishes to be granted – popularity, a hot date, et cetera, but who is going to keep her from falling for her very own knight in shining armor?
This read is great for all ages, but if you have a tween or teen who could use a good read this is the one for you.
Adrienne Speck’s traumatic high school experience could be anyone’s, and the cruelty inflicted on her by other teens at the school is palpable. Who hasn’t had days where they closed their eyes and wished for rescue…or even oblivion, in some cases? In this regard the plight is easy to sympathize with, and wishing upon a star with results is a dream come true, right? She has normal wishes to be granted – popularity, a hot date, et cetera, but who is going to keep her from falling for her very own knight in shining armor?
This read is great for all ages, but if you have a tween or teen who could use a good read this is the one for you.
December 15, 2015
My thoughts on this are complicated.
The good - I loved the set up. A fallen star, coming down to earth to grant three wishes? That's a great idea. The sugared aroma of Saiph is also interesting. I love Chelsea's quirky little tidbits that are in all of her works and just give it that silly creativity. This novella was somewhat shorter than most and so I got through it fairly fast. The writing is spectacular as usual.
The so-so - I'm not a fan of continual teenage angst and although Adrienne gained some confidence near the end, she was mostly whiny and immature. I wasn't very confident when I was growing up but damn, even I feel like I didn't complain that much. I felt for the girl but I also wanted her to shut up and get a grip.
I thought the romance was a bit forced though it was a sweet ending regardless. The dance scene was a bit rushed (I would have liked to have seen the outcome of her dumping Toby last second so he could go with Charlotte) and I wish I would have gotten more detail on Saiph's real mission to earth - despite the story within the story.
Overall, not my favorite of the author's work but I still liked it.
The good - I loved the set up. A fallen star, coming down to earth to grant three wishes? That's a great idea. The sugared aroma of Saiph is also interesting. I love Chelsea's quirky little tidbits that are in all of her works and just give it that silly creativity. This novella was somewhat shorter than most and so I got through it fairly fast. The writing is spectacular as usual.
The so-so - I'm not a fan of continual teenage angst and although Adrienne gained some confidence near the end, she was mostly whiny and immature. I wasn't very confident when I was growing up but damn, even I feel like I didn't complain that much. I felt for the girl but I also wanted her to shut up and get a grip.
I thought the romance was a bit forced though it was a sweet ending regardless. The dance scene was a bit rushed (I would have liked to have seen the outcome of her dumping Toby last second so he could go with Charlotte) and I wish I would have gotten more detail on Saiph's real mission to earth - despite the story within the story.
Overall, not my favorite of the author's work but I still liked it.
August 6, 2016
Kat Mandu says…
My thoughts on this are complicated.
The good – I loved the set up. A fallen star, coming down to earth to grant three wishes? That’s a great idea. The sugared aroma of Saiph is also interesting. I love Chelsea’s quirky little tidbits that are in all of her works and just give it that silly creativity. This novella was somewhat shorter than most and so I got through it fairly fast. The writing is spectacular as usual.
The so-so – I’m not a fan of continual teenage angst and although Adrienne gained some confidence near the end, she was mostly whiny and immature. I wasn’t very confident when I was growing up but damn, even I feel like I didn’t complain that much. I felt for the girl but I also wanted her to shut up and get a grip.
I thought the romance was a bit forced though it was a sweet ending regardless. The dance scene was a bit rushed (I would have liked to have seen the outcome of her dumping Toby last second so he could go with Charlotte) and I wish I would have gotten more detail on Saiph’s real mission to earth – despite the story within the story.
Overall, not my favorite of the author’s work but I still liked it.
My thoughts on this are complicated.
The good – I loved the set up. A fallen star, coming down to earth to grant three wishes? That’s a great idea. The sugared aroma of Saiph is also interesting. I love Chelsea’s quirky little tidbits that are in all of her works and just give it that silly creativity. This novella was somewhat shorter than most and so I got through it fairly fast. The writing is spectacular as usual.
The so-so – I’m not a fan of continual teenage angst and although Adrienne gained some confidence near the end, she was mostly whiny and immature. I wasn’t very confident when I was growing up but damn, even I feel like I didn’t complain that much. I felt for the girl but I also wanted her to shut up and get a grip.
I thought the romance was a bit forced though it was a sweet ending regardless. The dance scene was a bit rushed (I would have liked to have seen the outcome of her dumping Toby last second so he could go with Charlotte) and I wish I would have gotten more detail on Saiph’s real mission to earth – despite the story within the story.
Overall, not my favorite of the author’s work but I still liked it.
October 6, 2015
I'm glad I read the book, because there were times that I did enjoy it. The problem was that it was too predictable, the characters were too immature, and the length of the book was too short. However, I did really enjoy Chelsea M. Campbell's writing. Her writing style is very done and made me keep reading. I may not have enjoyed this particular story, but it definitely won't stop me from trying her other work. In the end, don't just take my word for it. Read it for yourself and form your own opinion. I may not have liked it, but you may love it!
May 11, 2016
Don't know why the rating of this story is quite low, because I'd give it 4 stars with clear conscience. It simple, funny and entertaining read, shown through the eyes of a teenage girl. Of course, there are many silly moments, where you wonder if there are some places on Earth where teenagers really behave like that (my personal experience of the school years was different), and the heroine is too anti-social at first, but nevertheless, I liked reading this book, character development and the ending.
October 3, 2015
liked the cover and was a quick read is kinda the bet i can say unfortunately. wasn't really taken with the writing or any of the characters or the way common teen events were dealt with here but the 2 poems towards the end were good.
November 5, 2014
Full review coming 11/06/14 to Brooke Blogs.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews